KSBY Investigates: Some home day care centers located near sex offenders

When it comes to deciding on a home daycare to take your child, you can trust that the state will do background checks on the people living in that home.

However, the California Department of Social Services says they do not check on neighbors or other people around that house.

There are ways you can do research on your own. One way, is the sex offender registry map, online. Type in the address of the home daycare center to see if any nearby homes have registered sex offenders living there.

KSBY News reporter Scott Daniels found several home daycares on the Central Coast that are very close to homes of registered sex offenders.

He visited Norma's home daycare in Santa Maria which backs up to the home of a man who was arrested for sex with someone under 14-years-old.

Norma looks after about a dozen kids. She told KSBY that she did not know of her neighbor's past, or the history of any neighbors.

The California Department of Social Services says there is nothing illegal with that situation. Home daycares are checked about once every three years, including random screenings.

"Part of that process, also is there is a background check of anyone living in the home who's over the age of 18," said Michael Weston, Spokesperson for the California Department of Social Services.

Social Services recommends you ask lots of questions and get to know your child's daycare provider.

Following the death of Andrew Holland at the San Luis Obispo County Jail in January, several questions were raised on how mentally ill inmates are treated at the jail. Now, the county is taking steps to improve those conditions.

Following the death of Andrew Holland at the San Luis Obispo County Jail in January, several questions were raised on how mentally ill inmates are treated at the jail. Now, the county is taking steps to improve those conditions.